3A Boys Basketball: Strasburg Uses Overtime to Seal First State Championship
By Tracy Renck
Photo: Tracy Renck
DENVER – On the state’s biggest 3A boys basketball stage, Strasburg finally was able to bask in the spotlight.
The Indians, playing full of emotion after losing their longtime assistant coach Kevin Hemphill to cancer in January, were celebrating with tears of joy Saturday afternoon.
Strasburg outlasted Forge Christian 61-57 in overtime in the 3A state championship game at Hamilton Gymnasium on the University of Denver campus.
“Kevin was a coach with me for 17 years as an assistant,” Strasburg coach Kyle Bollers said. “He was my best friend since I got to Strasburg and was my assistant coach since I started. These boys came together for him. He went through a long battle with cancer and he was like a father to every one of these kids. This season was for Kevin. I just wanted to bring some happiness to his family because they went through so much and he meant so much to this town.
“From the point he passed in January, these kids just rallied. I have high character kids. They are not the most talented team in the world. But they are the best character kids and the hardest working kids you can ask for. They embody what our culture is and I love them to death.”
The emotion-filled win also was historic as this was the first boys basketball state title in Strasburg High School history.
The Indians capped their memorable season with a 26-2 record and finished with a nine-game winning streak. Strasburg’s last loss was 67-60 to Forge Christian on Feb. 14.
Strasburg was back in the state finals for the second consecutive year as it dropped a 55-42 decision to Resurrection Christian in 2025.
“This win means everything,” said Cade Hempill, Kevin’s son. “Coach Bollers poured everything into us and we wanted to play for him and my dad upstairs. It is everything (to have all this support for my dad). Everybody has been with us the whole time and I can’t even describe it.
“My dad was a part of Strasburg his whole life and that was our first state (boys basketball) title ever and this just feels amazing. We found a way to get it done.”
Top-seeded Strasburg rolled through to the finals by ousting No. 9 seeded Wiggins (62-47) on Thursday and then hammered St. Mary’s (64-41) on Friday.
No. 2 seeded Forge Christian ended its season with a 25-3 record, and saw its five-game winning streak snapped. Forge defeated Windsor Charter Academy (47-43), and Banning Lewis Academy (58-57) to reach the championship game.
Forge Christian, which came about in 2023, after formerly being called Faith Christian Academy. Including the FCA records, Forge was aiming for an eighth boys basketball crown and first since 2023.
It took more than 32 minutes to decide this epic battle Saturday as it went into overtime tied at 52.
Forge stalled for nearly two minutes of its first possession of OT, but came away empty after Erique Diggins was called for walking.
Strasburg finally broke the deadlock when Cam Manahan hit a driving layup at the 1:18 mark, putting the Indians up 54-52.
After another empty possession for the Fury, Nick Glatfelter dropped in a back-door layup off the glass to stretch the Indians’ lead to 56-52 with 56 seconds remaining.
Then things unraveled for Forge.
Treysen Eye was called for a technical foul with 32.4 seconds left. Moments later, Jayden Miller made two free throws pushing the Indians ahead 60-52 and essentially sealing the long-awaited victory.
“When we got to overtime that was a big relief because the entire game was back and forth and knowing we could take the lead in overtime was relieving,” Glatfelter said. “We lost coach Hemphill in January and after that it was just all for him. This is amazing.”
The Strasburg win was fueled by double-figure scorers Manahan (14 points), Brody Hopwood (13 points) and Hemphill (13 points). Levi Clark (14 points), Diggins (13 points) and Torres (10 points) paced Forge in defeat.
Saturday, March 14 at University of Denver
Saturday, March 14 at University of Denver
